Shrubs and trees without latex or sap, but sometimes with strong eucalyptus like smell. Often with flaky barks. Leaves alternate to opposite (in the common genus Syzygium, leaves have a clear marginal vein), simple, entire, with pellucid dots. Stipules absent. Flowers bisexual, calyx 4-5-lobed and fused into a cup, petals very small and inconspicuous, or fused into a cap that drops as soon as the flower opens. Usually with many long stamens with white to red colour. Ovary inferior with 1 style, long and mixed in between the stamens. Fruits berries, mostly purple-black, with persistent calyx.
General info
Distribution Pantropical, with almost 5000 species. Ecology In forest understoreys and canopies, usually on wet to swampy places, but also in drier more open forests and on sandy ridges with poor soils. More common at higher elevations. Often flowering at night and pollinated by moths and bats. Uses Some fruits are eaten (Jambu), ornamentals, timber, medicinal oils. Similar to Lecythidaceae, but these always have alternate leaves without pellucid dots and are often with toothed leaves. Lythraceae, but these differ in absence of pellucid dots and superior ovaries. Melastomataceae, but these differ in absence of pellucid dots, few stamens with appendages on connective.
Family description
Shrubs and trees without latex or sap, but sometimes with strong eucalyptus like smell. Often with flaky barks.Leaves alternate to opposite (in the common genus Syzygium, leaves have a clear marginal vein), simple, entire, with pellucid dots. Stipules absent.
Flowers bisexual, calyx 4-5-lobed and fused into a cup, petals very small and inconspicuous, or fused into a cap that drops as soon as the flower opens. Usually with many long stamens with white to red colour. Ovary inferior with 1 style, long and mixed in between the stamens.
Fruits berries, mostly purple-black, with persistent calyx.
General info
Distribution Pantropical, with almost 5000 species.Ecology In forest understoreys and canopies, usually on wet to swampy places, but also in drier more open forests and on sandy ridges with poor soils. More common at higher elevations. Often flowering at night and pollinated by moths and bats.
Uses Some fruits are eaten (Jambu), ornamentals, timber, medicinal oils.
Similar to Lecythidaceae, but these always have alternate leaves without pellucid dots and are often with toothed leaves. Lythraceae, but these differ in absence of pellucid dots and superior ovaries. Melastomataceae, but these differ in absence of pellucid dots, few stamens with appendages on connective.
Treated genera
Myrtales.pdf
Syzygium hirtum
Syzygium longiflorum